Author: Tyler McAdams

“What we have a right to expect of the American boy is that he shall turn out to be a good American man.” — Theodore Roosevelt, The American Boy

What does it mean to be a man? Does it mean we down liters of ice-cold beer or that we drink just to enjoy the taste of beer (temperance)? How much thought is put into what kind of man we want to be — particularly when we enter our twenties?When I was in my twenties, I was more concerned with what I should major in than what kind of man I wanted to be in ten years.

There are many men throughout history who feel leading a virtuous life is the proper way to achieve manliness. Art of Manliness(AoM) is a modern guide of sorts for those aspiring to learn what it is to be yesterday’s man in today’s world. Brett McKay, founder of AoM, has this to say about virtue:

“When most people today hear the word “virtue,” they usually don’t think “manliness.”…However, virtue is far from being sissy or effeminate. The word “virtue” is actually rooted in “manliness.” “Virtue” comes from the Latin virtus, which in turn is derived from vir, Latin for “manliness.”’ ¹

Renaissance manBenjamin Franklin sought to achieve moral perfection as a young man in his twenties and eventually created a system of values to live by.

We will soon eclipse the horizon of 2014, introducing a new year and a multitude of well-intended Resolutions that will be forgotten or discarded like some old toy within a month or two.

This is one of those well-intended Resolutions and I hope it can avoid the bargain bin.

The truth is I’ve already started on it. It started a few weeks ago, and while it is a work in progress, I did not intend it as my New Year’s Resolution. It is more of a focus, a necessity.

A radio program I was listening to caught my attention discussing the effects of social media and smartphone devices on our attention span and brain development. That branched into reading and listening to a professor from Stanford University, Dr. Clifford Nass, who unfortunately passed away this year. (you can read here, and here, and listen here)

Auburn defeated #1 Alabama in one of the most unbelievable finishes to their storied rivalry anyone has ever seen.

Since that undoubtedly historic night, I’ve seen a lot of ill-placed blame and logic scattered throughout the Internet. Here are my thoughts I’ve compiled and broken down into ten points from the 2013 Iron Bowl.

1. Alabama committed six penalties for 45 yards. Five of those penalties (45 yards) came in the 2nd half. Four of them were false start penalties. One false start cost Alabama 3 points. A holding penalty negated a 1st down inside the Auburn 15 with 4 minutes remaining in the game. Bama entered the Iron Bowl averaging about 4.5 penalties per game.

2. Tre Mason gashed Alabama all night, running for 164 yards — the second highest total by an individual in Saban’s tenure at Alabama. Former Arkansas Razorback, Darren McFadden, rushed for 195 yards in 2007 (Saban’s first season)against Bama, but that was hardly Saban’s team.